The 15th Year Begins

Aloha! Before beginning, much thanks and gratitude to Rosalie Day for her many years of hosting this page. It’s great to be able to continue the heritage she’s kept going.

We of the Adelaide Ukulele Appreciation Society are keen to spend our 15th year celebrating the joy of uke playing with as many past and future members who have a suppressed urge to strum.

Membership is free, and we only ask for a gold coin (remember them?) donation on the night to help with running costs.

On Wed February 2 we’re starting with a beginners’ song session on the well-ventilated Gov front verandah, at 7PM sharp. Kids are very welcome, and there will be folks keen to answer any chord questions. An introductory chord run-through kicks off the evening, and all the songs will be easy to play! BYO Uke and have some fun!

AUAS activity for May

Our May newletter is just about to go out, reminding you that there are not four but FIVE Tuesdays this month, and that means one extra night to get your uke on at the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel.

The fifth Tuesday isn’t just an extra chance to play with the AUAS, but an AUAS Limelight, which is a night to play anything you like, in a group or on your own, on stage in front of a cheering crowd of thousands! (Well, OK, maybe not thousands, but with all the general good cheer and camaraderie of Limelight, it feels that way!)

This month’s Limelight is on Tuesday, 29th of May, starting at 7.30, and the good folks at the Gov are putting us on stage in the venue once again! Last Limelight was a raging success, with a fantastically packed roster, so do rock up a little early to sign on the performance list.

Coming right after Limelight is the Port Augusta Uke Extravaganza. You can download workshop info, costs and schedules and the event flier all right here. If you want to attend and haven’t registered yet, please email Richard Gibson right away! All interest needs to be registered by Friday, 11 May, so now’s the time.

For those requiring accommodation for the Port Augusta event, dorm-style cabins are available at Pichi Richi Park for $35/night, but for those who prefer to camp or use a motor home/caravan, the Quorn Caravan Park, 10 minutes drive from Pichi Richi Park, is the closest option….

So, there are plenty of opportunities at hand to get out and get singing and strumming, for newcomers and regulars alike. Don’t forget to say hi if you’re new to the Gov so we can help you get settled in and enjoying yourself straight away!

April @ The Gov

April at the Gov will offer us plenty of opportunities to share and try out some of our newly gathered tips & tricks, with the usual Tuesday night sessions starting from 7pm. Please note that due to the Easter holidays, the official Saturday session for this month will be held on 14 April from 2pm, although there are plans afoot via the AUAS Facebook group to meet on the first Saturday of April for some informal jamming…check in on our Facebook page for more info. You can keep up via our calendar on the AUAS website too.

WOMAD & UOGB

For AUAS members who attended WOMAD over the weekend, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain were a highlight! They featured on Stage 1 on Saturday, Speakers Corner for a workshop on Sunday and then gave us a big Stage 2 finale on Sunday night. Our frantic applause was enough to get them back on stage for an encore, apparently a rare event at WOMAD.

Here we are with our UOGB comrades after the workshop. If you have photos and videos to share, please tag them ‘adelaideukes’ on YouTube and Flickr so we can pick them up!

MUF 2012

If you can’t stand the heat in Adelaide, head on over to Melbourne for a big dose of Ukulele at MUF 2012 – that’s the Melbourne Ukulele Festival 8-11 March 2012!

This is what is happening…

With 7 international acts from NZ (Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra), USA, Canada, Israel, Italy, & Belgium; 15 interstaters and over 20 local legends all at iconic Melbourne venues, plus workshops for kids and for adults, a uke picnic, luthiers market, uke art display/sale, jamming opportunities, and quality ukulele prizes (including a Scott Wise, Kala and Kiwaya) – this is a big weekend not to be missed!

With budget uke-friendly accommodation available, and a fabulous city like Melbourne to explore, how could you NOT come.?! The MUF festival also co-incides with the famous Brunswick Music Festival, so you can kill 2 birds with one stone! For more info … www.muf.org.au

March roundup

Welcome to the month of March 2012! No need to beware the ides for about a fortnight. Let’s see what’s coming up…

Well there are our wonderful regular sessions at The Gov:

• Saturday 3 March – AUAS First Saturday of the month session in The Gov front bar starting around 2pm. Always a great, relaxed session with jamming and playing songs onthe front-bar stage
• Tuesday 6 March – Introductory Session and Drop-In Night
• Tuesday 13 March – Workshop Night
• Tuesday 20 March – Strumming + Picking and Drop-In Night
• Tuesday 27 March – Workshop Night

We welcome everyone to come along to these nights. Bring your friends who are showing an inclination towards ukulele playing. If you are coming for the first time, make sure you let us know so we can introduce you and get you strumming as soon as possible. If there’s a song you’d love to do with a group, bring it along.

Ukephoria levels are higher than usual with WOMAD coming up, including a big ukulele thrill with the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain on the program. There are 3 songs that you can practice up beforehand for the workshop they will be running. The details and charts are here: http://www.womadelaide.com.au/artists/the-ukulele-orchestra-of-great-britain. We look forward to some great fun on this weekend. If you find any lonely ukulele players make sure to tell them about AUAS!

We have already circulated information about the Southern Group – but just in case you missed that:

Meet in the dining room of the Christies Beach Hotel, 12-13 Gulfview Road, Christies Beach
7pm–9pm on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of the month
More information is available from Vicki vicki.ryan42@gmail.com

Hawaiian invasion!

Two Hawaiian ukulele masters are coming to Australia this April to perform as well as share their knowledge and the love of the uke…

Ukulele Perth has organised a three-day ukulele retreat for beginner to intermediate players, taught by Hawaiian musician/teacher Kimo Hussey. The retreat costs $500 and is set for 26–29 April 2012 in Albany, Western Australia. For more information, see www.ukuleleperth.com.

Earlier in April, musician Daniel Ho will play the National Folk Festival in Canberra (5–9 April 2012). A multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter, Daniel has won multiple Grammy awards for his albums in the Hawaiian slack-key guitar style, and he has recently returned to one of his first musical loves, the ukulele. Daniel will be teaching as well as performing at the festival. For more information, or to attend the festival, visit the National Folk Festival website.

It’s World Ukulele Day!

We like to think every day is Ukulele Day, but if you haven’t picked up your uke in a while, or if you’ve never played but want to, what better day than World Ukulele Day?

If you’re up for learning a new tune, our very own local uke guru Richard G has an amazing and always-growing resource at Scorpex, and you can find a couple more great resources at Ukulele Tabs and Ukulele Hunt. Need help with chords? Try EZ Folk.

If you’re in the Adelaide area, you can always find the AUAS at the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel (59 Port Road, Hindmarsh SA) on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month (and usually the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, too — check out our 2012 calendar for the schedule, and keep up to date at our Facebook page too). Folks of all ages and all musical abilities (newcomers too!) and musical tastes are always welcome.

There’s also a brand-new southern Adelaide ukulele collective getting started at the Christies Beach Hotel (12-13 Gulfview Road, Christies Beach SA) on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays commencing on 7th Feb 2012, 7 – 9pm. (Come earlier if you want a meal from around $10.)

Or you can just enjoy the wonderfulness that is the ukulele. Here’s a tune from a recent Tuesday at the Gov, recorded by one of the AUAS regulars…

2012 here we come!

Aloha everyone,

We’ve begun 2012 on a big note, with the 200th member joining our mailing list! It’s unlikely we’d ever get everyone together as we have international and interstate members, but that’s a pretty nice achievement for a social music group. Please pat yourselves on the back.

Reminder: wanna see Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain at WOMADelaide in March? We’re organising a group booking, so let us know if you are keen. We won’t actually make the booking til late January, so no monies required; just expressions of interest.

Here’s what’s on in this Happy New Year:

Tuesday 3 January nothing official, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be other uke players at The Gov

Sunday 8 January Adelaide Showground Farmers Market. Meet 10am ish in the garden. All details below

Tuesday 10 January Beginners and novices session, and general drop in night, 7ish at The Gov

Tuesday 17 January Beginners and novices session, and general drop in night, 7ish at The Gov

Tuesday 24 January All Australian session and open mike night – bring a song! 7ish at The Gov

Event: Adelaide Showground Farmers Market, Leader St, Wayville
Time: Meet 10am, start playing 10.30 am, two x 45 minute sets
Place: Under the tree in the kitchen garden. Use the Leader St entrance. Parking is $3, but tell the attendant you’re performing
Dress: Bright summer!
Set list: all on Richard G’s Uke Song Book
First set
Flowers on the Wall
Eight Days A Week
I’m A Believer – melodica please Phil!
Folsom Prison Blues
Ring of Fire
You Ain’t Going Nowhere
Jamaica Farewell
Ukulele Baby (G)

Second set
Chains
Is this the way to Amarillo
Under the Boardwalk
Honolulu Rock a Rolla ?
Jackson ?
Bye Bye Love
Brand New Key
These Boots Are Made For Walking (D)

Diaries out everyone – it’s nearly December

20 November Community Christmas Picnic in Woodville

22 November Workshop night – some more Christmas tunes…

27 November Mega-uke day

Gig 1: 11am Semaphore Street Festival along Semaphore Road. Meet at 11am near Brock Harcourts, 87 Semaphore Rd (north side of road between Jagoe and Penny Streets) for 11.30am start to a 45 minute set. Music stands OK. Dress bright

Gig 2: 1.30 Community Alliance launch at St Clair Reserve on Woodville Road. Meet near stage by 1.30 for 30-40 minutes set (same songs as SSF).

Gig 3. 4pm Brian and Viv Tonkin invite all ukers to their annual Christmas party at 105 Childers St, North Adelaide. Not really a gig, but always a fabulous time with lots of music

29 November Limelight – Woohoo! We’re hosting this in the Venue this time, so you’ve no excuse not to bring friends and family and make a night of it!

3 December Saturday Afternoon Jam 2-5pm at the Gov, bring the kiddy winks

6 December Beginners and Novices, also Drop In Night

11 December Adelaide Showground Farmers Market 10am-12noon. Meet at the big pine tree in the garden

13 December Last ukulele night of the year – open mike, Chrissy drinks and end of year bon homie